Water cooler



H. B. ROCK WATER cooLER Sept. ll, 1934.

Filed April 4, 1934 lnVezzfoz' #any I Rock Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES WATER COOLER Los Angeles, Calif., a

corporation of Delaware Application April 4, 1934, Serial No. 718,908

11 Claims.

This invention relates to water coolers and dispensers and more particularly to an improved cooler of the type in which the contents are cooled by evaporation.

Various types and forms of water coolers and dispensers have heretofore been proposed and among these, the type of water cooler illustrated and described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,913,866, issued to Richard C. Wolfe and dated June 13, 1933, has proven to be one of the most satisfactory types. This cooler comprises a water cooler jar of impermeable material. The jar is supported within a cylindrical shield spaced from the jar and adapted to allow circulation of air therearound. The jar is provided with aporous sleeve of capillary material closely surrounding it and extending downwardly below the bottom thereof and into a pan, the latter being positioned beneath the jar and adapted to receive waste water and drippings from the dispensing faucet. This waste water in the drip pan is employed for supplying moisture to the sleeve of capillary material, which moisture evaporating therefrom provides a cooling effect on the water contained in the jar. While this particular type of cooler has proven to be satisfactory and desirable when it is in operable condition, the cooler frequently becomes inoperable due to the fact that the normal waste water is often insufficient to supply the necessary water to the capillary material, consequently the capillary material becomes dry and renders the cooler inoperable.

It is one object of this invention to overcome the above difficulty.

Another object is to provide a water cooler of the type above described that shall prevent the cooler from becoming inoperable due to the lack of moisture for the capillary material.

Another object is to provide an improved water cooler having novel means for maintaining a predetermined supply of water for supplying moisture to the capillary material.

A further object is to provide a water cooler having the above characteristics wherein the novel means for maintaining the water supply for the capillary material will be positive in action and entirely automatic.

A still further object is to provide an improved water cooler having the above characteristics that shall be simple in structure, durable, positive in operation, and comparatively cheap to manufacture.

The accomplishments of the above and other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the ac- (Cl. tig-154) companying drawing wherein like reference characters refer to like parts. lt is to be distinctly understood that the drawing is not a definition of the invention but merely an illustration of forms by means of which the invention may be eifectuated.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view partly in section illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental sectional view illustrat- 65 ing certain parts of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, and;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating another embodiment of the invention. l

ln the form shown, the device may be provided with suitable supporting legs 15, as shown in Fig.

1, these legs 15 may be braced in a selected manner such as braces 16. A hollow shield 17 is supported by the upper ends of the legs 15 as shown at 18. The shield is open at its bottom end 15 and is provided with a number of openings 19 near its top. These openings 19 are preferably spaced apart and are sufficient in number to extend around the shield. These openings are positioned adjacent the top of the shield for the purpose of permitting the circulation of air through the shield.

The top of the shield 1'7 is provided with a covering 21 which is flanged as shown at 22, the flange being adapted to iit over the top of the shield and to engage the top of the shield in such a manner as to be rigidly xed thereto. The cover 21 is provided with a circular opening 23, the opening 23 being preferably concentric with the shield 17. Positioned within the shield 00 17 is a receptacle 24, the latter being cylindrical in shape and composed of impervious material as glass or porcelain. The receptacle 24 is open at its upper end and may be supported from the edge of the circular aperture in the cover 21 by 95 providing an outwardly flared portion 25. The bottom of the container 24 is preferably pro-= vided with a sediment basin 26 although it may be fiat. A conventional push button type of faucet 27 is associated with the receptacle 24 100 and positioned adjacent the bottom thereof for the conventional reason. The faucet 27 extends outwardly and through the shield 17 and is Vfixedly mounted therewith as shown at 28.

A Water supply bottle 31, which is preferably the 5 gallon bottle almost universally used by the dispenser of bottled drinking water is inverted into the top of the cooling jar 24 and rests on the flared portion 25. Due to the in.- herent roughness and eccentricity of the bearing surface between the flared portion 25 and the bottle 31, sufficient space is left for air to enter the top of the receptacle 24 and thence into the bottle 31 to take the place of the water flowing from bottle 31 into the cooling receptacle 24.

Positioned below the bottom of the cooling receptacle 24 and removably supported on the legs as shown at 32, is provided a drip pan 33. The pan 33 is provided with a catch basin 34, the latter being positioned beneath the faucet 27 for catching the drip water which may be spilled during the process of drawing water from the faucet 27, or which may be returned from a partially emptied drinking cup. All water emptied into the catch basin 34 will, of course, '.nd

. its Way into the drip pan 33.

Surrounding the cooling receptacle 24 is a cylinder or sleeve 35 of capillary material such as blotting paper, felt, knit, woven fabric or the like. The lower end of this capillary sleeve ex-v tends below the bottom of the cooling jar 24 and into the drip pan 33 and terminates adjacent the bottom of the pan 33.

It is now obvious that the capillary sleeve or cylinder 35 will absorb water contained in the pan 33 and evaporate such water for cooling the outside of the receptacle 24.

The drip pan 33 is preferably kept about 2/3 full of water and in order to maintain the proper amount of water in the drip pan 33, there is here provided novel means for automatically maintaining the water in the pan 33 at a predetermined level.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the means for maintaining the water in the pan 33 at a predetermined level may comprise a pipe or conduit 37, the conduit 37 may extend upwardly and on the outside of the receptacle 24 and within the shield 17. The lower end of the conduit 37 is pro-vided with a suitable two-way valve 38, the latter being operable by a oat 39. 'I'he float 39 is operably connected to the valve 38 through the arm 41 which is pivoted at 42. The upper end of the arm 41 is operably connected to the valve stem 43 of the valve 38 as shown at 44. The upper end of the conduit 37 terminates in a vertical portion 45. This vertical portion 45 is positioned substantially in axial relation with the receptacle 24 and is adapted to be received by the Ymouth 46 of the inverted bottle 31 as shown. The vertical portion 45 of the conduit 37 is connected to the portion of the conduit 37 positioned exteriorly of the receptacle 24 by an arcuate shaped portion 47.

It can now be understood that when the float 39 is in its uppermost position, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, that the valve 38 will be closed and the passage of water therethrough is prevented and that when the level of the water in the pan 33 decreases in height, the float 39 will be lowered correspondingly and cause the valve 38 to be opened for admitting water through the conduit 37 from the bottle 31 by way of the valve 38 into the drip pan 33, and raise the level of the water in the pan 33 suiiiciently to raise the float 39 to close the valve 38.

As above stated, the valve 38 may be any suitable valve of the two-way type and is operably controlled by the float 39 in such a manner that the valve 38 is closed when the float 39 is in either its uppermost or lowermast position. This is necessary as it is sometimes desirable to remove vthe pan 33 for cleaning or other purposes and by providing a two-.way valve it will now be readily understood that when the pan 33 is removed that the float 39 will fall to its lowermost position, closing the valve 38 and preventing passage of water through the conduit 37.

Fig. 3 illustrates a slightly different embodiment of the invention, which comprises a float control valve associated with the bottom or sediment pan of the receptacle 24. This valve comprises an elongated valve body 51, the upper end of which extends through an opening 52 provided in the bottom of the receptacle 24. The upper end of the valve body 51 terminates in a radially extending iiange 53. A suitable packing 54 is provided betweenthe lower surface of the flange 53 and the cooperating parts of the receptacle 24 adjacent the opening 52 for forming a water tight seal. The valve body is externally threaded as shown at 55 and adapted to receive a clamping nut 56 which may be of the wing type as shown. A suitable packing 57 may also be provided between the opposing surfaces of the wing nut 56 and the receptacle 24 whereby a positive water tight seal is made. The valve body 51 is provided with an axial opening 58 therethrough for receiving the valve stem 59 and valve head 61. The opening 58 is reduced at the lower end of the valve body 51 as shown at 62 and at an intermediate portion as shown at 63. The reduced portions 62 and 63 of the opening 58 serve as guides for the valve stem 59 and also provide valve seats 64 and 65, respectively. The lower end of the valve stem 59 carries a float 66, the latter being positioned to maintain the valve head 61 in closed relation with the valve seat 65 when the level of the water in the pan 33 is at the desired height. However, when the level of the water in the pan 33 decreases in height, the float 66 is lowered, permitting water to pass the valve head 61 and valve seat 65 through the opening 58 into the pan 33 until such time as the level of the water in the pan 33 is raised suiiiciently to cause the iioat 66 to close the valve head 61 against the valve seat 65.

It will also be understood that should the pan 33 of this embodiment be removed, the float 66 will be permitted to fall to its lowermost position and seat the valve head 61 on the valve seat 64 thus preventing passage of water through the valve.

Accordingly, there is provided automatic means for maintaining a predetermined water level in the drip pan 33 whereby the cooler is prevented from becoming inoperable due to the lack of the waste Water being sufficient to supply the necessary moisture to the capillary material 35. Also the novel means here provided is simple, durable, Ypositive in operation and can be supplied with water coolers of the present type without ma.- terially raising the cost of producing the coolers.

The operation of the present cooler is as follows:

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and assuming that the receptacle 24 and drip pan 33 are empty, a bottle of Water 31 is quickly inverted into the top of the receptacle 24, the mouth of the bottle 31 receiving the vertical portion 45 of the conduit 37, the water in the bottle 31 will flow simultaneously into the receptacle 24 and drip pan 33 until such time as the level of the water in the drip pan 33 rises sufficiently to cause the float 39 to close the valve 38 and until the level of the water in the receptacle 24 reaches the mouth of the bottle, air bubbling up through the water in bottle 31 to displace the water drawn from the bottle. When the water in the receptacle 24 reaches the mouth of the bottle 31 a seal is formed, preventing the ingress of further air into the bottled water and the flow of the water from the bottle into the receptacle 24 is stopped. It is here pointed out that when the drip pan 33 is in place, the float 39 is held above its lowermost position, whereby water is permitted to pass through the valve 38.

The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3 will operate in a like manner to that described in connection with the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 andl 2.

While only two embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described it is to be understood that the invention contemplates any suitable means that will automatically maintain suflicient water in the drip pan 33 to render the device continuously operable. Also various changes, modifications, variations, substitutions and omissions may be made in either'- of the embodimentshere illustrated and described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as dened by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A water cooler including a support, a cooling jar mounted on said support and adapted to contain water, a drip pan mounted on said support and positioned beneath said cooler and adapted to catch waste water from said cooler, a capillary sleeve surrounding said cooler and extending downwardly therefrom and into the said drip pan, and means dependent upon the level of the water in the drip pan for drawing water from said cooler into said drip pan whereby the said sleeve is continuously supplied with moisture.

2. A cooler in accordance with claim l wherein the said means includes a float operated valve and the operation of said valve being dependent upon the level of the water in the said drip pan.

3. A cooler in accordance with claim l wherein the means for drawing the water from the cooler into the drip pan is entirely automatic.

4. A water cooler including a cooling jar adapted to support an inverted supply bottle of water, a support for said cooling jar, a receptacle positioned beneath said cooling jar, capillary means extending from said cooling jar into said receptacle, and means for drawing water from the supply bottle into said receptacle, the said means being adapted to maintain a predetermined amount of water in said receptacle.

5. A cooler in accordance with claim 4, wherein the said means is automatically operated in response to the change of the level of the water in the said receptacle.

6. A cooler in accordance with claim 4, wherein the said means includes a conduit connecting the supply bottle of water with the said receptacle, and means associated with one end of said conduit for automatically admitting water through the conduit to said receptacle in response to the change of the level of the water in said receptacle.

7. A water cooler including a support, a cooling jar mounted on said support and adapted to contain water, a receptacle mounted on said support and positioned beneath said cooling jar, capillary means extending from said cooling jar into said receptacle, a valve mechanism associated with the bottom of said cooling jar and adapted to admit water from said cooling jar to said receptacle, and means associated with said valve mechanism for opening and closing said valve mechanism in response to the variation of the level of the liquid in said receptacle.

8. A cooler in accordance with claim '7, wherein the said valve mechanism includes means for rendering said valve mechanism inoperable when the receptacle is removed from said support.

9. In combination, a water cooler jar of impermeable material, a support therefor, said support comprising a shield spaced from said jar and adapted to allow circulation of air therethrough, a porous sleeve closely surrounding said jar and extending downwardly below the bottom thereof, a pan supported below and extending entirely beneath said jar and adapted to receive the lower edge of said porous sleeve, and automatic means for drawing water from said cooler into said pan.

10. A cooler in accordance with claim 9, wherein the said means is automatically operated in response to the change of the level of the water in the said pan.

11. A water cooler comprising a reservoir of water tight material, a casing of water absorbent material surrounding said reservoir and in contact therewith, a second reservoir separate from the rst said reservoir, positioned below rst said reservoir, and detachable therefrom, said casing of water absorbent material extending into said second reservoir, and means for transferring water from the rst said reservoir to the second said reservoir, the said means being automatically operated by variation of the liquid level in the said second reservoir.

HARRY BESSMER ROCK.

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